1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to reproducing content, and more particularly, to reproducing content under optimal reproduction conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various content reproducing apparatuses have been launched. However, capabilities for reproducing multimedia content vary according to different apparatuses. For example, MPEG layer 3 (MP3) players generally have a display size of around 2 inches and a 240×320 pixel resolution. Personal media players (PMPs) generally have a 4 to 5 inch thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) with a resolution of 480×272 pixels or 800×480 pixels. Mobile phones are more similar to MP3 players in this regard. However, navigation systems have display sizes varying from around 2 inches to 7 inches.
Accordingly, when a user having an MP3 player and a PMP reproduces moving pictures, the user generally uses the PMP, since the PMP has a larger display size and a higher resolution than the MP3 player. However, when the user watches a terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (T-DMB) program by using the MP3 player, in order to watch the broadcasting program by using the PMP, the user has to power on the PMP and perform a series of processes, including a process of selecting a channel for watching the same T-DMB program, regardless of the MP3 player. At this time, in order to continuously watch the T-DMB program, the user has to determine whether the broadcasting program is output through the PMP and then turn off the MP3 player.
In addition, when there is another apparatus by which the user can watch the T-DMB program in addition to the PMP, in close range to the MP3 player, in order to correctly determine an apparatus having optimal reproduction capabilities for the broadcasting program, the user has to already know specification information of each apparatus and the type of the content to be reproduced. The type of the reproduced content may be broadly defined so as to represent moving pictures, still pictures, music, text, and something obtained by combining images with audio, or specifically defined so as to represent whether images are in a high definition mode or normal mode, and to represent whether the audio is in a Dolby mode or normal mode. Specifically, in the case of apparatuses with similar reproduction capabilities, such as the mobile phone and the MP3 player, it is difficult for the user to determine which apparatus has optimal reproduction capabilities.
When the user determines, while reproducing the content stored in the MP3 player, that the apparatus having the optimal reproduction capabilities is the PMP, the user has to execute an application in the PMP used to reproduce the content and download the content stored in the MP3 player. When there is another content reproducing apparatus in addition to the PMP in close range to the MP3 player, the user determines which apparatus has the optimal reproduction capabilities for the currently reproduced content from among the content reproducing apparatus, the PMP, and the MP3 player. In order to determine which apparatus has the optimal reproduction capabilities, the user has to know specification information of each apparatus and the type of the reproduced content. When the user does not know the specification information of each apparatus, when the user has wrong specification information of each apparatus, or when the user does not know the type of the content, the apparatus selected by the user may not be the apparatus having the optimal reproduction capabilities.